City not Stellar finalist

Crawfordsville Mayor Todd Barton announced Monday afternoon that the City of Crawfordsville will not be a finalist for the Stellar Grant.

"We have worked very hard since being a Stellar finalist in 2012 to further refine our vision and create a proposal that was unparalleled by any Stellar Community to date," Barton said in a news release. "I believe we developed a uniquely competitive proposal with the potential to profoundly impact the future of our community.

"Although this announcement is disappointing, I feel strongly that the vision we have created has the strength to stand on its own merits and that we are positioned to make much of it a reality without the Stellar Community designation," Barton said.

Barton said that he believes that the city's projects can be funded without the Stellar designation.

"Our resolve is strong and we will immediately set to work to make this vision a reality," Barton said.